


Spellbinding

by Mayonaka_no_Tenshi



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Bondage, Fantasy, Japanese Rope Bondage, M/M, Magic, Rope Bondage, Rope Burn - A Yuri!!! on Ice Shibari Zine, Shibari
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 13:50:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21198701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayonaka_no_Tenshi/pseuds/Mayonaka_no_Tenshi
Summary: The Katsuki’s magic healing spring is about to run dry and the only way to save it is to find a “catalyst”, someone with magic inside that can be harnessed by those with the talent, and knowledge of techniques that can channel the magic to be used. Some techniques can be dangerous, even deadly, but Yuuri’s family has passed down the unique technique of Shibari. This technique uses the carefully designed patterns of rope across the catalyst’s body to channel the magic safely. Yuuri is sure he can create a binding that would bring the waters back to the spring, but to do so he needs a powerful catalyst.Perhaps a silver haired stranger can help.





	Spellbinding

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!! I’m FINALLY posting the piece I wrote for the Shibari zine. I hope you enjoy it!

Yuuri walked into the bar so heavy with disappointment the bartender didn’t even ask for his order and simply placed a drink in front of him as he sat down.

He’d been searching for weeks. There had been no one in their town and apparently there was no one in any of the neighboring towns either. If he didn’t find someone very soon, they would lose the inn.

He continued to mull over his failure and quickly lost track of how many drinks he had. He should probably just go back to the room he’d rented and get some rest before he started the journey home the next day.

He could have one more drink before leaving though, besides, some music had just started to play. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to stay and listen for a short time.

* * *

The next morning dawned full of regret. His head was pounding, his stomach churned, and he had no idea how he’d made it back to his room. In fact, the last thing he remembered was bits of music as he’d swallowed down more alcohol, throat already numb to its burn.

With great effort, he forced himself out of bed and prepared for the journey home. He took the longer road through the woods, there was less traffic there and he wanted the time to think, to decide what he would say when he got back, how he would apologize.

It took him a day and a half to reach the small village of his birth. He took his time and did his best to avoid speaking to anyone.

He dragged his feet as he walked the final distance, drawing out those last few minutes before he would have to pronounce his failure to his family. Even so, it felt like no time at all before he was walking into the warm and familiar entrance.

“Tadaima,” he said softly into the quiet interior, half hoping no one would hear him.

“Yuuri!” he heard the voice of his mother call from somewhere farther in, followed by the shuffle of hurried footsteps as she rushed into the room. “Okaeri! Welcome back, I was beginning to get worried. What took you so long? Vicchan said you left before he did.”

It took a few moments to process what his mother was saying. “Vicchan?” He asked, confused.

“Yes! Oh, we were so excited to meet him. He’s such a nice man and will be an excellent catalyst. Such strong magic, it seems the gods have smiled on you.”

Yuuri could only stare at his mother, utterly confused and having no idea what she was talking about.

Just then his father walked in, “Ah, Yuuri, welcome back! You should go tell Vicchan you’ve arrived, he’s been very worried. He’s in the baths now.”

Yuuri’s mouth fell open in shock, “But I thought you had closed the baths to preserve the last of the water!”

“We did, dear,” his mother answered, “but you know the more relaxed someone is, the more easily the magic will flow. We have full confidence in your skills to harness his magic, but we felt the healing waters of the spring would only help matters.”

Yuuri had no idea what to say at this point. This was not what he’d expected to face when he arrived home, whatever _this_ was. He decided the only way to really figure things out would be to actually meet this mysterious Vicchan for himself.

On his way, he ran into his sister Mari.

“Oh, you’re finally back I see. You’d better let Victor know, he’s been worried sick. He almost left again to search for you himself.”

“Um, yeah, I’m just going to find him now,” Yuuri murmured in reply. A strange nervous feeling was growing in his stomach with each mention of this unknown man that everyone in his family apparently knew and expected him to know as well.

When he reached the baths, he hesitated in front of the door, unsure of what he’d find beyond, but finally slid the door open.

He was immediately hit by the familiar humid, magic tinged air, as he walked out into the outdoor bathing area.

He looked towards the bath. The steam was thick in the cool air, but he could make out a figure sitting at the far side of the bath.

“H-hello?” he called out, voice wavering.

He saw the figure shift and then stand with a splash, “Yuuri!”

With more splashing, the figure moved forward, parting the mist to reveal a tall, extremely handsome – and naked – man, now standing at the near edge of the steaming pool.

“You made it! I was so worried. I was sure you’d arrive before me, but when I got here last night your family said they hadn’t seen you. And when you still hadn’t arrived this morning, I almost went out to look, but I’m so glad you are here now. Your family has been so kind and this bath truly is wonderful, I’ll be honored to help you with the magic to save it.”

The wave of words washed over Yuuri as he stared, stunned, at the man before him.

This man wasn’t just handsome, he was incredibly beautiful, silver hair and brilliant blue eyes shining up at him. His body was slim and strong, and beneath it all Yuuri could feel the deep reservoir of magic within, just waiting to be released. In spite of himself, he could already imagine this man enlaced with the detailed knotting Yuuri would be able to create to decorate the perfect skin that already lay bare before him. Just the thought of it had his heart picking up speed.

The sound of laughter brought him out of his thoughts, “Wow, that look is even more intense than the one you gave me when we met.”

Wide eyed and embarrassed, Yuuri turned his eyes away, “Oh! I’m– I’m so sorry.”

Victor simply laughed it off and invited Yuuri to join him in the baths, wanting to hear about Yuuri’s journey back and hinting that he had been surprised Yuuri hadn’t waited so they could travel together.

Yuuri felt the heat rise to his face, “Victor, I don’t know how to say this, but… I don’t remember meeting you. I assume it was on my last night, after I’d had quite a lot to drink, and well…”

Victor’s eyes went wide with understanding, “Oh.”

He didn’t speak for several seconds and Yuuri contemplated running away.

“Well,” Victor said, finally, “I guess you’d definitely better join me then, and I can refresh your memory.”

Yuuri looked up in surprise to see a wide smile on the other man’s face, followed by more enthusiastic encouragement that Yuuri join him.

Thus it was that Yuuri found himself, chin-deep in the hot, soothing waters, listening to this beautiful man tell him in a rich and entrancing voice about the night they met.

Apparently, Victor had walked in a short time after Yuuri’s memory cut out. Victor had come up to the bar and come face to face with Yuuri. He admitted to being slightly unnerved at first by the intense stare Yuuri had bestowed upon him, but then Yuuri had simply asked him to dance. They’d danced and laughed and danced some more until they couldn’t anymore. And then they talked, and soon Yuuri’s story about his family’s inn and hot springs came out.

Yuuri had explained how worried he was for his family and how he had gone on this journey because he knew he could create a spell to return the flow of water to the nearly dried up spring if only he could find someone with enough magic lifeforce to be the catalyst for it.

“I’ll admit, I was a bit scared when you said that. I had to leave my own country because it had been discovered how much magic I had. There are laws to protect catalysts of course, but there are still many who would not give a thought to breaking them. There have been more than a few catalyst deaths from attempts at powerful illegal spells since those laws were passed.

“However, when I mentioned that such a spell sounded dangerous you protested immediately, and with so many no’s it was honestly adorable.”

Victor laughed at the memory, but Yuuri felt himself sinking lower into the water, half wishing he could dissolve into it.

“You were very passionate in your insistence that your family’s magic techniques were very safe and harmed neither the mind nor the body and would never be used on a less than fully willing individual.

“After all that, I offered to be your catalyst. I promised to return here with you and you were so happy. I bought us another round of drinks and you told me all about the town, the spring, the inn, your family. It really wasn’t hard to find this place after that.”

Victor smiled brightly at Yuuri again. Yuuri could only be grateful for the heat of the water to mask the heat of embarrassment.

There was a long moment of silence as Victor waited for Yuuri to say something.

He pulled himself out of the water slightly before finally forcing himself to look over at Victor.

“Thank you for telling me, and I’m sorry I left without you. If I had remembered anything, I would have waited. It was very kind of you to offer to help, but under the circumstances I would understand if you decided to leave. You are under no obligation to stay or help us.”

“Oh Yuuri, of course I’m going to stay! You and your family have been nothing but kind and now that I’ve tried this wonderful bath, I can’t very well let it dry up if I can help.”

Yuuri could not deny his surprise that this man truly wanted to stay and help after all the trouble Yuuri put him through. It was even more surprising when Victor slid over so that he was almost touching Yuuri and then reached out to take his hand, holding it between both of his.

“Besides,” Victor said, voice low and enticing, eyes trained firmly on Yuuri’s, “I had such a good time that night with you, and I’d really like the chance to get to know you better.”

Without thinking, Yuuri stood up, pulled away and began to move away from Victor, “Ok, well I guess I’ll have some preparations to make and we’ll have to discuss exactly how the process works so I can answer any questions, and then...”

Yuuri only stopped when he felt a gentle but firm grip on his wrist, just before he stepped out of the bath. His next words died in his throat, and he turned to face the other man, meeting wide blue eyes that almost seemed pleading.

“Please Yuuri, don’t go. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I know I’m basically a stranger to you, but I was hoping we could at least become friends. Please stay?”

A part of Yuuri thought he should just leave and keep a “professional” distance between them. He knew that for the magic, a closer bond would be ideal, but there was no way a man like Victor would stick around after the ritual, right? And if Yuuri let himself get close it would be that much harder to let go. Although, if he wanted the best chance at saving the hot spring...

In the end, it was that earnest look on Victor’s face, and in his eyes, the feel of that warm hand around his, and Yuuri’s own desires, that had him slipping back into the hot water.

The smile that Victor granted him then made him feel warmer than the hot water ever could.

* * *

That night, Yuuri slept surprisingly well. He woke up late, but refreshed.

Victor was already in the dining area when Yuuri arrived and he quickly waved Yuuri over to his table.

“So, what’s the plan today? Will we perform the ritual this morning or do you need some time to prepare?”

Yuuri laughed at Victor’s eagerness, “No, it won’t be today. We still have two weeks until the full moon, which is the best time for magic. There are also some preparations to make, but the most important thing will be for us to get to know each other better. I don’t know how much I told you about our technique, but the process is rather... intimate. That alone is reason enough to take this time because I want you to be as comfortable as possible. You need to be able to decide if you are really okay with everything that will happen, because if you are even the tiniest bit unsure, we shouldn’t do it, okay?”

Yuuri met Victor’s eyes pointedly to be sure he understood. When he saw the blue eyes before him bob in a quick nod, he continued, “Also, the magic will be stronger if the bond between us is stronger. The more we trust each other and care for each other, the stronger the magic will flow and the better chance the ritual will work. So, if we can become friends...”

“Yuuri, of course we can be friends! You and your family have been so good to me, coming here has felt like coming home. I can’t wait to get to know you better!”

Yuuri couldn’t help but blush at Victor’s eager and yet seemingly sincere words. He didn’t understand why Victor liked him so much, but he couldn’t help but be glad for it. Seeing Victor happy made him happy too, so he was determined to make the experience the best possible for him.

* * *

The next few days were spent exploring the town. Victor seemed enamored with everyone and everything in it. The town too, seemed quite taken with Victor.

Many villagers mentioned how good they looked together, causing Yuuri to blush and stammer, but Victor was quick to pull him close and offer their happy thanks to the person giving the compliment. And somehow that always helped calm him.

Actually, Victor often pulled him close. Sometimes by the hand, but more often than not, Yuuri found himself in Victor’s embrace. After a few days, it had become normal and Yuuri had started seeking out the contact.

One morning, he woke up in Victor’s arms after their having accidentally fallen asleep while talking in Victor’s room one evening.

Yuuri knew then it was time to start the real preparations.

* * *

They practiced in Victor’s room, which was more spacious than Yuuri’s.

Yuuri used white practice rope to introduce Victor to his family’s magic.

“Is this the rope we’ll be using in the actual ritual?”

“No, this rope is just for practice, but except for the lack of magic, it should feel the same.”

“So how exactly does this work?”

Yuuri thought for a moment, “It’s hard to explain, but basically I’m going to tie the rope in intricate knots all over your body. The rope draws out the magic and the knots channel it into the shape I need. The knot-work must be precise, and it is also best if the catalyst – if you – are comfortable. While magic can be forced out, when it is given freely, it is more powerful.”

Yuuri lifted up a length of rope and turned to Victor, “Are you ready?”

“What do I need to do?”

He saw Yuuri go pink as he opened his mouth to answer and close it again a couple of times.

“Um– Well, uh, first, you actually need to be naked.”

As the words came out Yuuri went red.

Victor knew better than to tease the man at a moment like this. If he did, they might have to postpone this practice to another day, if Yuuri decided to run away, so he simply nodded and removed the light garments he was wearing.

“Ok, what next.”

Yuuri took a deep breath as he reached for the rope, running it’s smoothness between his fingers as he did his best to focus.

“All you really need to do is relax and let me guide and adjust your body as needed,” he answered, calm returning as he focused on what he had to do. “But let me know if anything ever feels tight or uncomfortable. Your comfort will make the magic more powerful. I’m going to start simple, so you get an idea of how it will feel later.”

Victor felt himself relax listening to Yuuri speak like this. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “Ok, I’m ready.”

Victor did his best to repress a shiver as Yuuri touched him for the first time.

“Are you okay?”

Victor nodded, taking another deep breath, “I’m fine, your hands feel nice.”

Victor didn’t open his eyes, but he would bet that Yuuri had just gone red.

He let Yuuri work in silence, enjoying the feel of the soft rope as it looped around him slowly. He could tell whatever Yuuri was doing, was detailed, the soft sound of the rope sliding against itself as knot after knot was tied.

“Will I be able to move by the time you’re done?”

“Mostly, yes. For the ritual, part of you will be bound to the large cherry blossom tree in the garden, but you will have free use of all but your arms, which will be somewhat restricted.”

Victor hummed softly in response, trying to imagine what the final result would look like.

Yuuri continued, “The tree represents the onsen, and we want to bind the waters to it, but water must flow freely to be effective, so I want the bindings to allow as much freedom as possible. It is also Spring, which represents the new life we want to bring to the onsen.”

“Wow, I didn’t know everything had so much meaning. I thought magic was just magic, if you had enough you could do just about anything.”

“That’s generally true, but to access that power you need to create the proper channels for it to flow freely. Like water, if something is in the way of the flow, it will slow, stop, or even go in an entirely different direction. Magic is only effective if it can be guided properly.”

As Yuuri continued working the rope around his body, Victor felt increasingly calm as he gave all control over to the man slowly binding his limbs. Despite the increased pressure across more and more of his body, he felt strangely freed.

Some time later, the movement of rope and Yuuri’s hands on his body stopped.

“Yuuri?”

“Victor, the pool of magic in you is so open I feel like I could bring the waters of the onsen back right now. How are you able to do that?”

Victor hummed in thought, “I don’t know. I just was so relaxed feeling you work. I felt as though every knot was done with such care and I felt so safe letting you do all of it...” He trailed off as words failed him.

He finally opened his eyes and saw Yuuri standing before him, a look of awe in his face as he took Victor in and Victor realized he was naked except for the lace of ropes running up his arms, all across his torso, and down his legs to his ankles. He looked down at himself, trying to see it all.

“Wow, Yuuri! I thought you said this was a simple design!”

“It is. The one I have planned for the ritual is a lot more detailed and will take longer. However, you were doing so well, I did do more than I originally planned.”

Victor gave a slow turn, in part to feel how the ropes moved with him, as they added their slight pressure with each flex of muscles, and in part to show off.

“How do I look?”

The reply was barely a whisper, but Victor still managed to catch the sound: “Beautiful.”

When Victor turned back to face Yuuri, the awe was clear in the other man’s eyes. He smiled and moved closer. He was really enjoying how the ropes felt as he moved, restraining and yet not restricting.

He lifted a hand to cup Yuuri’s face and stroked his thumb across a plump lower lip. “Yuuri, can I kiss you?”

Yuuri could hardly believe the words as they echoed in his mind but his answer came without thought, “Yes.”

For Yuuri there could be no greater magic than Victor’s kiss. From the first moments of soft, sweet pressure to the eventual deeper pressure and dance of tongues, every touch from Victor sent tremors through Yuuri the likes of which he'd never felt before, only to intensify as he ran his hands over the strands that covered Victor’s body.

Eventually they pulled away from each other just enough to catch their breaths and not long after, Yuuri began undoing the knotwork, a new atmosphere between them now, bringing them closer.

* * *

They became inseparable in their second week together. Touches came more easily for Yuuri and kisses were frequent.

Preparations continued and Yuuri practiced more knotwork on Victor’s body as he finalized the pattern he would use. Each time, he was astounded by how readily Victor fell into the perfect calm, open state as Yuuri bound him with rope, each knot and loop releasing even more of the magical potential inside Victor.

They made love for the first time two days before the ritual. There were no ropes, only their bodies, skin bare to enjoy the contact between them.

Afterwards, wrapped in each other’s arms, Victor asked, “Could we try that with the ropes someday?”

Yuuri turned to Victor and suppressed a shiver at the thought of feeling Victor’s rope-enlaced body beneath his, the contours of the knotwork Yuuri himself would place on that perfect body, melding with the soft skin and taut muscle beneath it.

“If you want to, yes, we can do that.”

There were a few moments of silence.

“Would–“ Victor started, then faltered.

Yuuri reached up a hand to caress Victor's face, hoping to offer some reassurance.

Victor swallowed and tried again, “Would it be– or rather, for the ritual, could we...”

Yuuri smiled, having a pretty good idea what Victor wanted.

“It isn’t usually done, but it can enhance the magic even more. If you really want to, we can.”

* * *

When the sun set and the full moon rose, they were ready.

Victor stepped out into the garden, bathed in the light of the full moon, the sakura rustled softly in the gentle breeze, and it felt like the whole of the world was filled with magic. Surely this spell would succeed.

He saw Yuuri waiting beside the largest tree, wearing a robe of midnight black, in stark contrast to the white Victor wore.

Victor stepped forward undoing the tie of the robe and letting the garment fall to the ground.

They kissed once, soft and sweet.

Then Yuuri picked up the first length of bright red rope, and slowly began the intricate process of the binding that would release the magic. Unlike the practice rope, this rope seemed to tingle against his skin, and he felt the magic within him reaching up to meet it. It was amazing.

He soon fell deep into that peaceful place Yuuri’s knotwork always managed to bring him to.

Yuuri concentrated on his work, but he was also mesmerized by how easily Victor gave himself up to Yuuri’s care, how bright and beautiful the red rope looked across Victor’s pale skin, and just how perfect the man before him was.

The pattern spread across Victor’s body, and with the last lengths of rope, Yuuri linked Victor to the tree itself, long strands of red reaching from Victor’s long limbs to the limbs of the tree’s branches.

Yuuri could feel the spell in each knot of the rope and the way they pulled from the deep well of magic within Victor. Now they only needed to release that magic.

There were many ways to do this, but Victor had made his preference clear.

Yuuri stepped back to remove his own dark robe before picking up the small vial of oil he’d prepared.

Victor leaned forward, letting the rope and branches he was secured to take some of his weight, ready and waiting for Yuuri.

Victor had prepared earlier, but Yuuri used his fingers to ensure he was completely ready before spreading more oil on himself and moving close behind Victor.

He pressed in slow and careful, relishing the pleased shudder he could feel run through the man before him.

Once he was fully seated inside, he took the opportunity to run his hands across skin and rope-work. His mind told him that after tonight, Victor would be free to leave, but something else inside him told him that wasn’t going to happen, that these ropes would entwine their own futures together as well.

“Yuuri...”

Victor’s voice was breathy, but Yuuri could feel the plea in it. He reached forward to turn Victor’s head for a heated kiss, then pulled back slowly, only to snap his hips forward again, quick and hard, causing Victor to gasp.

The sound of their coupling, of skin and rope colliding, labored breaths, gasps, and moans, slowly intensified and Yuuri could feel the magic build even more, matching the build within himself.

He was close, they both were. He shifted so that he could take Victor in hand, moving in time with his body as he struggled to keep his pace on the edge of their impending release.

And then it was washing over and through them.

Victor tipped over the edge first, triggering the release of magic.

Yuuri buried himself deep within Victor one last time, hands gripping tight onto the ropes, fingers slipping between the coils to meet flushed, sweat slick skin.

They felt the waves of pleasure and magic roll through, overwhelming them in sensation before finally ebbing into a warmth that spread through their limbs, breathing labored as they came down from the high.

Yuuri pulled away carefully, easing himself out of Victor before moving to help his love stand, carefully undoing the bindings that held Victor to the tree and then wrapping him back in the soft white robe.

“Did it work?”

“Let’s go check,” Yuuri said as he slipped on his own robe.

Hand in hand they walked to where the water level could be checked. It didn’t take long for Yuuri to determine that the waters were now higher than they’d been in his lifetime.

They embraced, smiles wide and bright.

Yuuri finally pulled back and looked into the brilliant blue eyes before him, “Why don’t we undo these ropes and test the waters?”

Victor quickly agreed and a short time later they were soaking in the healing, magic infused waters.

“Victor,” Yuuri asked, hesitating.

“Yes, love?”

“I know the ritual is over and we don’t need all that magic for now, but... um, do you think we could still use the rope sometimes?”

“God yes!! Please feel free to tie me up anytime Yuuri!”

Yuuri laughed, realizing just how much both of them had enjoyed the experience.

He looked at the man next to him, who’d appeared in Yuuri’s life at just the right time. They had been exactly what the other needed, and Yuuri was sure Victor’s very existence in his life, was all the magic he would need for the rest of it.

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first ever zine piece! I was really happy to be a part of the zine and to have that experience. 
> 
> Let me know what you think of this story! I always love hearing from readers!!
> 
> Also feel free to check out my other Victuuri fics!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!


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